Clock mounting means



Dec. 5, 1950 E. BoURQulN CLOCK MOUNTING MEANS 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Sept. l5, 1947 lEN TOR.

Dec. 5, 1950 E. BouRQulN cLocK MoUNTING HEANS Filed sept. 15, 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 rZO Patented Dec. 5, 1950 l l i UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CLOCK MOUNTING MEANS Edgar Bourquin, Los Angeles, Calif.

Application September 15, 1947, Serial No. 774,089

12 Claims.

This invention relates generally to improved clock mounting means and more particularly to an improved mounting means arranged to removably mount a clock dial face or a dial face and crystal with respect to the balance of the clock. This makes it possible to change the frontal appearance of a clock by changing the type and style of dial face and crystal while utilizing the same clockwork mechanism and housing therefor.

Itis primarily, though not necessarily, intended for use with clocks adapted to be mounted with thehousing containing the clockworks positioned in a recess in a wall or panel so that the front portion of the clock will be either in the plane of the wall or panel or slightly in front of or slightly behind said plane. One such clock is illustrated and described in my prior Patent No. 2,423,680 which is called a Time Outlet. However, various other types of recessed wall or panel clocks are particularly well adapted for use with the present invention. Furthermore, the apparatus of the present invention may be employed in clocks which are not mounted in a recess in a wall or panel, and the mounting means of the present invention may lbe utilized to support the entire clock or to support other devices in association with or adjacent to the clock.

Prior art clocks have generally mounted the dial face with respect to the balance of the clock by means of a plurality of screws connected to the mounting plates carrying the clockwork mechanism and positioned at a number of separate points removed from the center of dial face. It is impossible to readily remove the dial face from such prior art clocks for replacing same with another desired dial face, without great inconvenience or indeed, in many eases interfering with the clockwork mechanism, since such mechanism is generally carried between two plates, with the saine screws connecting both the plates and the dial face thereto. Furthermore, most prior art clock constructions of relatively large size, such as wall clocks and the like, having a large dial face and heavy crystal, cause considerable load and friction to be imposed on the concentric, coaxial driven sleeves extending through the dial face. The apparatus of the present invention makes it possible to mount the dial face and crystal with respect to the balance of the clock in such a manner that no transverse load is imposed on the driven sleeves extending through the dial face regardless of the size and weight of the dial face and crystal. This is a great advantage.

Furthermore, in view of modern design trends it is obviously a great advantage to be able to alter the appearance of the clock at will by changing same through the use of the mounting means of the present invention, which may be done very easily and rapidly from the front of the clock.

Generally speaking, the apparatus of this invention comprises improved means for removably mounting a dial face with respect to an instrument including at least one rotatably driven longitudinal element extending through a port in said dial face and the open forward end of a housing in which the instrument mechanism is held. Hollow fastening means are concentrically, coaxially arranged around the longitudinal element on each side of the dial face and are adapted to be selectively connected together for holding said dial face, the fastening on one side of the dial face being electively connected to the housing so as to mount the dial face in position with respect thereto.

It can be seen from the above general description that the dial face may be removed or attached to the housing at will and that no load is imposed thereby on the longitudinal element, which, in the case of a clock, would be the concentric driven hour and minute hand sleeves.

With the above points in mind it is an object of this invention to provide new and improved means for removably mounting a clock dial face and crystal with respect to the balance ci the clock without imposing any load on the driven hour and minute hand sleeves.

It is a further object of this invention to provide and disclose new and improved mounting means for removably mounting a dial face with respect to the balance of the clock from the iront thereof.

It is a further object of this invention to provide new and improved means for removably mounting a dial face and crystal with respect to the balance of a clock and adapted to support the entire clock without imposing any load on the driven hour and minute hand sleeves.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a new and improved mounting means for mounting a dial face and crystal with respect to the balance of a clock and extending therebeyond for mounting additional devices which it is desired to have associated with or adjacent to the clock.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a new and improved means for removably mounting a dial face with respect to an instrument having a rotatable longitudinal element extending through the dial face.

Other and allied objects will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon a careful examination, study and perusal of the illustrations, specification and appended claims.

To facilitate understanding, reference will be had to the following drawings in which:

Fig. l is a partial vertical section of one illustrative embodiment of the invention shown mounting a clock in a wall, with the hands removed from the clock and the clockwork mechanism not shown.

Fig. 2 is a front view of the ring, housing, supporting member and bushing attached thereto shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3Y is a partial vertical section of a second illustrative embodiment of the invention having the hands removed and not showing clockwork mechanism contained in the housing.

Fig. 4 is a front view of the cover for the housing shown in Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a partial horizontal section of the apparatus shown in Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a partial vertical section of a modified illustrative form of this invention.

Fig. '7 is a front View of the housing, supporting member and bushing shown in Fig. 6.

More specifically, referring to Figs. 1 and 2, a housing I is mounted within a recess in a wall indicated at 2, by a plurality of screws 3 passing through the front edge of the housing I and the wall 2. A conduit 4 passes through the wall of the housing I andV introduces electrical leads thereinto (not shown) which are adapted to energize suitable electric motor means mounted within the housing l, and driving a reduction gearing and clockwork mechanism connected thereto. The leads, electric motor, reduction gearing and clockwork mechanism are not shown, since they are well kno-wn in the art. One such type of structure is described and illustrated in my prior Patent No. 2,423,680, wherein the field coil vof an electric motor is permanently mounted within the housing and the rotor and connected reduction gearing and clockwork mechanism may be inserted from the forward open end of the housing I with the rotor in proper electromagnetic juxtaposition to the field coil;

the clockwork mechanism, reduction gearing and rotor being adapted to be mounted with respect to the housing i by suitable screw means. However. in said patent the dial face and crystal are fixedly mounted with respect to the wall by a plurality of screw means. In the example shown herein in Figs. 1 and 2, the housing I has fastened to the forward edge thereof by screw means 5, a ring 5 having forwardly directed flange or skirt 7 around the periphery thereof. The ring is provided with two oppositely disposed, inwardly directed ears 8 which, in the example shown, are vertically arranged and are adapted to engage a transverse supporting member 9 positioned on the inner or right-hand side, as viewed in Fig. l, of the ring 6 with the opposite ends thereof pressing against the ears 8. The supporting member 9 is connected to a hollow fastening means which, in the example shown, is a forwardly extending threaded bushing l0. A dial face Il carrying suitable indicia thereon, and centrally ported, is adapted to t over the bushing Il) and in contact with the front surface of the ring A flat crystal I2, which may be of glass, transparent plastic, or any other suitable transparent material, and which is centrally ported, adapted to fit over the forwardly extending bushing I0 and immediately in front of and in surface contact with the dial face I i for covering same. The outer edges of both the dial face II and the crystal I2 are adapted to engage and t partially or completely within the outer skirt 'l on a ring 6. A second hollow, fastening means, in the example shown, a hollow, threaded nut I3, is adapted to pass rearwardly through the central ports in the crystal I2 and dial face il and engage the forwardly extending threaded bushing I9. The forward end of the nut I3 is provided with means for preventing forward movement of the crystal I2 and dial face II which, in the example shown, takes the form of a circular flange lf3 abutting the front surface of the crystal l2. It can be seen that relatively rotating the nut I3 and the bushing lil in the proper direction will cause the supporting member 9 on one side of the dial face and dial face l! and crystal i2 and the flange Iii on the other side thereof to tightly grasp the dial face and crystal therebetween for holding same, and since the supporting member 9 may be selectively engaged behind the inwardly extending ears 8 of the ring E, which is fixed to the housing I, the dial face and crystal are eifectively mounted with respect to said housing I in such a manner as to impose no load upon the concentric, coaxial driven minute and hour hand sleeves I5 and |55, respectively, which extend through the ports in the dial face E i and the crystal I2 and through the interior of the assembly comprising the bushing Ill and the hollow nut I3. In the example shown, a bearing sleeve il, which is xed with respect to the housing E or with respect to the movement plates supporting the clock movement within the housing (not shown) is arranged to extend outwardly concentrically and coaxially with the two driven sleeves I5 and I6 and the shaft I8 carrying them, all of which are shown broken away at the forward ends thereof and between the exterior of the outer of said sleeves and the interiorof the fastening assembly comprising the bushing l and the nut I3.

The details of the connection of the hour and minute hand to the sleeves i5 and l5 are not shown, since they are well known in the art. One such arrangement is shown in my co-pending application, Serial No. 757,392, filed June 27, 194'?, wherein the hour hand sleeve is connected to an hour hand hub provided with an hour hand just forward of a front surface of the crystal, and wherein the minute hand sleeve is provided with a hub carrying a minute hand just forward of the hour hand, The center shaft I8 may be of fixed type merely carrying the driven hour and minute hand sleeves, or it may be the driven type adapted to drive a seconds indicator or the like, such aS that shown in my hereinbefore mentioned copending application. The hands may be manually adjusted from the front by manually moving them wi th respect to their driving sleeves or shaft, since a frictional engagement generally exists therebetween, or front resetting means of the type disclosed in the aforementioned co-pending application may be employed.

The operation of the device may be described as follows: The hands may be removed from the driven sleeves to provide access to the fastening means. The fastening assembly comprising the bushing lll and the nut I3 may be then unscrewed for releasing the crystal I2 and the dial face Il, or the bushing IQ may be rotated, thus rotating the opposed ends of the supporting member 9 out of engagement with the inwardly directed ears 8 carried by the ring E, as shown in the solid lines in Fig. 2 into the disengaged positions shown in clashed lines in Fig. 2, thus allowing the rapid removal of the dial face ll and crystal l2. Another dial face and crystal of another type may then be replaced in an obvious manner. To facilitate rotation of the bushing it in the above manner, a slot may be provided therein arranged to receive the end of a screw driver or the like inserted from the front of the clock.

A slightly modified form of my invention is shown in Figs. S, l and 5. This form, as illustrated, does not employ aV circular ring, such as 6, shown in Figs. l and 2, but employs instead a centrally apertured cover i9 closing the open forward end of housing l. The front of the cover i9 is provided with friction means which, in the example shown, comprises pads 2G of suitable fri-:tional material which may or may not be resilient. The crystal l2 is positioned in front of the cov-ei` l and is adapted to engage and abut the friction pads 2Q and be restricted from movement thereby. Thus the crystal l2 may be adjusted to the correct horizontal or vertical position with respect to the wall 2 regardless of whether or not the housing l is properly oriented within the wall 2. The transverse supporting member S' rests against the rear surface of the cover i3 for locking the crystal l2 with respect to the housing l'. In the example illustrated in Fig. 3, no separate dial face, such as l l in Fig. l, is shown, the dial face being in this case merely suitable indicia carried by the crystal l2' itself either on the front or rear surface thereof. In this case it is to be understood that the crystal l2' actually comprises a crystal and dial face. However, a ring 1raving a skirt, such as the ring il and skirt l in Figs. l and 2, may be positioned im. lediately behind the crystal l2' for carrying a dial face of the type shown at H in TFig. 1, if desired. The balance of the device shown in Figs. 3, 4 and 5 are similar to those hereinbefore described. Figs. 4 and 5 show the cover i9 provided with a transverse slot 22 in the rear surface there-- of adapted to receive the supporting member therein. However, this transverse slot 22 may be dispensed with entirely if desired.

Another modified form of my invention is illustrated in Figs. 6 and 7, wherein a housing 23, which is not fixed to the wall, such as the housings l and l shown in the first and second modifications of this invention, is employed. In this case, the supporting member S" connected to the bu .ng it is connected by screws 24 to the housing 23. The supporting member 9" extends beyond the housing 23 for mounting purposes in the example shown. Recesses 25 are provided in opposite ends of the supporting member s adapted to receive rubber grommets 25 therein and to have suitable fastening means, such as nuts and bolts indicated generally at 2, pass therethrough a panel indicated at 28 for fastening the entire clock. thereto. Otherwise, the clock is similar to the first embodiment of the invention.

Numerous modifications and variations of this invention are possible within the spirit and scope thereof, and all such are intended to be included and comprehended herein. For example, the rst form of my invention may be combined with eher the second form or the third form, whereby the circular ring having inwardly projecting ears adapted to co-operate with the opposite ends of the supporting member may be utilized for making it possible to rapidly release the fasklo 6, tening engagement. This may be employed even when a cover, such as the cover t9 in Figs. 3, 4 and 5, is utilized. In addition, all three illustrated and described forms of my invention may employ crystals of various types other than those illustrated and described, for example.

Crystals having the portion swept by the hands, on the outside or forward thereof, so as to enclose the hands between the crystal and the dial face may be employed. These may be standard type crystals or crystals of the type illustrated and claimed in my co-pending application, Serial No. 782,401, filed October 24, 1947, wherein a portion of the crystal is at and lies in the plane immediately in front of the dial face, and a portion of the crystal immediately in front of the area swept by the hands is recessed forwardly from the rear surface thereof so as to allow .frottement of the hands between said' crystal andthe dial face. Details of this construction will be found in said co-pending patent application.

Furthermore, the supporting member of this invention may extend beyond the clock for mounting purposes. For example, the supporting member may extend vertically beyond the clock housing, and be provided with means at the upper end thereof for hanging the clock, or it may extend vertically below the clock housing for providing a suitable base for supporting same, or it may extend in any desired direction for carrying suitable accessory cleric-es which it is desired to associate with or mount adjacent to the clock. For example, the supporting member may be extended in the vertical plane and the end thereof carry o. suitable lamp, such as a fluorescent lamp, and the lower portion of the supporting member may extend below the clock and provide a suitable base therefor. Numerons variations of this idea will occur to those skilled in the art and are properly within the scope of this invention. The fastening means of this invention may take numerous forms other than the forms illustrated and d cribed herein. For example, the two fastening means on opposite sides of the crystal and dial face assembly instead of being threadably engageable, may engage by cam action for grasping said assembly` if desired. The supporting member may take any desired form and may be connected or connectable to the cover, the housing or any desired fixed portion of the clock. The ring or rim S may be non-circular.

Furthermore, the hollowv fastening means need not be positioned on a driven sleeve or shaft at the center of the dial face, but may be positioned on and around any longitudinal element extending through the dial face which may be offset from the center of the dial face. There may even be a plurality of such elements carrying such fastening means, as for example, two alarm actuating push buttons offset from and on each of the center of the dial face, extending therethrough and carrying such fastening means for holding the dial face.

The examples illustrated and drawings herein are exemplary only and are not intended to limit the scope hereof, which is to be interpreted in the light of the appended claims only.

I claim:

l. Tir-:proved means for remove. l: dial face and a crystal with respect to a clock movement, including concentrically, coaxially arranged driven hour and minute sleeves, centrally extending through aligned ports in said dial face and crystal and an open forward end of a housing therefor in which the clock movement is held, comprising: a hollow, threaded bushing concentrically, coaxially arranged around said driven sleeves extending forwardly through said ports in said dial face and crystal; a hollow, threaded nut concentrically arranged around said driven sleeves on the opposite side of the dial face and crystal from the threaded bushing and adapted to threadedly engage said bushing, said nut being provided with a circular flange adapted to abut the surface of the crystal; a transverse supporting member connected to said bushing; and a rim connected to the open end of the housing positioned around said dial face and provided with two oppositely disposed, inwardly directed, retaining ears adapted to engage opposite ends of the supporting member for releasably, effectively locking the crystal and dial face with respect to the housing.

2. An apparatus of the character stated in claim 1, wherein a sleeve fixedly mounted with respect to the housing is coaxially positioned around the driven sleeves and between the eX- terior of the outer of the driven sleeves and the interior of the assembly comprising the bushing and co-operating nut.

3. Improved means for removably mounting a Y dial face and a crystal with respect to a clock movement, including concentrically, coaxially arranged driven hour and minute hand sleeves, centrally extending through aligned ports in said dial face and crystal and an open forward end of a housing therefor in which the clock movement is held, comprising: a hollow, threaded bushing concentrically arranged around said driven sleeves extending forwardly through said ports in said dial face and crystal; a hollow threaded nut coaxially arranged around said driven sleeves on the opposite side of the dial face and crystal from the threaded bushing and adapted to threadedly engage said bushing, said nut being provided with a circular flange adapted to abut the surface of the crystal; a transverse supporting member connected to said bushing; and a centrally apertured cover closing the open forward end of the housing with the supporting member on the inner side thereof and the bushing extending forwardly through said aperture, said cover being provided with friction means on the front thereof and a transverse slot in the rear thereof adapted to receive said supporting member therein, whereby said dial face and crystal may be effectively, removably, frictionally located in a selected position.

4. Apparatus of the character stated in claim 3, wherein a sleeve xedly mounted with respect to the housing is concentrically positioned around the driven sleeves and between the exterior of the outer of the driven sleeves and the interior of the assembly comprising the bushing and co-operating nut.

5. Improved means for removably mounting a dial face and a crystal, with respect to a clock movement, including concentrically, coaxially arranged driven hour and minute hand sleeves, centrally extending through aligned ports in said dial face and crystal and an open forward end of a housing therefor in which the clock movement is held, comprising: a hollow, threaded bushing concentrically arranged around said driven sleeves extending forwardly through said ports in said dial face and crystal; a hollow, threaded nut coaxially arranged around said driven sleeves on the opposite side of the dial face and crystal from the bushing and adapted to threadedly engage said bushing, said nut being provided with a circular ange adapted to abut the surface of the crystal; a supporting member connected to said bushing; and an apertured cover closing the open forward end of the housing with the supporting member on the inner side thereof and the bushing extending forwardly through said aperture, said cover being provided with friction means on the front thereof, whereby said dial face and crystal may be effectively, removably frictionally located in a selected position.

6. Apparatus of the character stated in claim 5, wherein a sleeve xedly mounted with respect to the housing is concentrically, coaxially positioned around the driven sleeves and between the exterior of the outer of the driven sleeves and the interior of the assembly comprising the bushing and co-operating nut.

'7. Improved means for removably mounting a dial face with respect to a clock movement including concentrically, coaxially arranged driven hour and minute hand sleeves extending through a port in said dial face and an open forward end of a housing therefor in which the clock movement is held, comprising: a hollow, threaded bushing concentrically arranged around said driven sleeves extending forwardly through said port in said dial face; a hollow, threaded nut coaxially arranged around said driven sleeves on the opposite side of the dial face from the hollow bushing and adapted to threadedly engage said bushing, said nut being provided with a flange adapted to effectively limit forward movement of the dial face; a transverse supporting member connected to said bushing; and an apertured cover closing the open forward end of the housing and provided with friction means on the front thereof and a transverse slot in the rear thereof adapted to receive said transverse supporting member therein, whereby said dial face may be effectively, removably, frictionally located with respect to the housing.

8. An apparatus of the character stated in claim '7, wherein a sleeve fixedly mounted with respect to the housing is concentrically, coaxially positioned around the driven sleeves and between the exterior of the outer of the driven sleeves and the interior of the assembly comprising the bushing and co-operating nut.

9. Improved means for removably mounting a dial face with respect to a cl'ock movement including concentrically, coaxially arranged driven hour and minute hand sleeves extending through a port in said dial face and an open forward end of a housing therefor in which the clock movement is held, comprising: a hollow, threaded bushing concentrically, coaxially arranged around said driven sleeves extending forwardly through said port in said dial face; a hollow, threaded nut concentrically coaxially arranged around said driven sleeves on the opposite side of the dial face from the hollow, threaded bushing and adapted to threadedly engage said bushing, said nut being provided with means adapted to effectively limit forward movement of the dial face; a supporting member connected to said bushing; and an apertured cover closing the open forward end of the housing and provided with friction means on the front thereof, whereby said dial face may be effectively, removably, frictionally located in a selected position.

10, An apparatus of the character stated in claim 9, wherein a sleeve xedly mounted with respect to the housing is concentrically, coaxially positioned around the driven sleeves and between the exterior of the outer of the driven sleeves and the interior of the assembly comprising the bushing and co-operating nut.

11. Improved means for removably mounting a dial face with respect to a clock movement including concentrically, coaxially arranged driven hour and minute hand sleeves, extending through a port in said dial face and an open forward end of a housing therefor in which the clock movement is held, comprising: a hollow, threaded bushing concentrically, coaxially arranged around said driven sleeves extending forwardly through said port in said dial face; a hollow, threaded nut concentrically, coaxially arranged around said driven sleeves on the opposite side of the dial face from the hollow, threaded bushing and adapted to threadedly engage said bushing, said nut being provided with a flange adapted to effectively limit forward movement of the dial face; and a supporting member independent of said clock movement connected to said bushing and said housing, for connecting same to a panel for mounting the clock.

12. Improved means for removably mounting a dial face with respect to a clock movement including concentrically, coaxially arranged driven hour and minute hand sleeves, extending through a port in said dial face and the open forward end of a housing therefor in which the clock movement is held, comprising: a hollow threaded fasi tening element concentrically, coaxially arranged around said driven sleeves and extending through l0 said port in said dial face; a second hollow, threaded fastening element concentrically, coaxially arranged around said driven sleeves on the opposite side of the dial face from the first threaded fastening element and adapted to threadedly engage therewith, the outer portion of said rst fastening element being provided with means adapted to effectively limit forward movement of the dial face; a supporting member connected to the second fastening element and effectively connected to said housing independently of said clock movement, said supporting member extending beyond the edges of said housing for mounting purposes.

EDGAR BOURQUIN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

0 UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,430,021 Milne Sept. 26, 1922 1,594,391 Veeder Aug. 3, 1926 5 1,841,750 Matthiessen Jan. 19, 1932 1,928,287 Granger Sept. 26, 1933 2,423,680 Bourquin July 8, 1947 FOREIGN PATENTS 0 Number Country Date 232,451 Germany Mar. 15, 1911 420,013 Great Britain Nov. 23, 1934 

